Dodgers feeling frustrated as Game 3 approaches

Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig refused to talk to reporters after Sunday's optoinal workout at Dodger Stadium. He has been one of the Dodgers who has struggled to get anything going at the plate in the first two games of the NLCS in St. Louis. ELSA, GETTY IMAGES

LOS ANGELES – Twenty-seven times during the regular season, the Dodgers sent Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke (or Greinke then Kershaw) to the mound in consecutive games.

Only once did the Dodgers lose both games — Sept. 7 and 8 in Cincinnati, a pair of one-run losses in which Greinke and Kershaw did their part, pitching well.

It has happened again at a most inopportune time, putting the Dodgers in an 0-2 hole as their best-of-7 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals moves to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Monday.

“With those two starts, you feel you shouldn't walk out of here with less than a split,” Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said mournfully after Saturday's loss at Busch Stadium.

The Dodgers came home empty-handed through no fault of Greinke or Kershaw. They combined to allow three runs (two earned), six hits and two walks while striking out 15 in 14 innings.

The bullpen wasn't bad either, allowing just one run (albeit the winner in the 13th inning of Game 1) and three hits in 61/3 innings.

The Dodgers are down because the offense that batted a collective .333 and scored 26 runs in four games against the Atlanta Braves in the NL Division Series has yet to show up for the NLCS.

“I don't think there is a whole lot to talk about with these guys,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of prodding his team's offense. “We've been through this before where we've had a couple games where we don't score.

“Give the Cardinals some credit too. They've got pretty good pitching. Ours has been pretty good, the same as theirs. I don't know if they're talking to their guys because we're basically doing the same thing to them that they've done to us. To me, I look at it that we're a couple hits away from being up 2-0. We get a key hit in both of those games and we're up 2-0 here.”

Neither team has been filling it up in the “key hit” department. The Dodgers are 1 for 16 with seven strikeouts and two double plays with runners in scoring position. The Cardinals set a major league record by hitting .330 with runners in scoring position during the regular season, but they are 2 for 8 in the series.

“We just need to go out and swing the bats better, take advantage of situations presented to us, execute when we have opportunities,” veteran second baseman Mark Ellis said.

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